Fifth French Spring to enthrall, fascinate art lovers, aficionados

Despite the tremendous risks and hazards to travel these days, the intrepid French Embassy headed by Ambassador Renée Veyret, with the valued assistance of Counsellor Franck Hebert, is presenting the fifth French Spring in Manila June 3-21. This will consist of performances in theatre, music, dance, the visual arts, cinema and culinary arts.

Hewing close to its theme of cultural diversity, which Mme. Veyret says cannot be dissociated from human dignity, French Spring will feature outstanding French artists collaborating or interacting with Filipino talents, thus underscoring the continued strengthening of French-Philippine cultural ties.

The following list of highlights in the much-awaited French Spring will quote copiously from the prepared brochure.

On June 8, at the CCP main auditorium, Maestro Fabien Tehericsen will conduct Rodel Colmenar’s Manila Philharmonic Orchestra in Debussy’s Afternoon of a Faun, Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony (No. 6), Poulenc’s Stabat Mater and excerpts from Bernstein’s West Side Story. Soprano Rachelle Gerodias and the UP Madrigals will be the singers.

Maestro Fabien has been involved in projects of artistic creation in France, China, Africa, Russia and Central Africa, and has wielded the baton over the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France, the choir of the Lyon National Orchestra, the Symphonic Orchestras of the Cologne and Bucharest Radios, etc.

His composition Atmosphere! Atmosphere! is a musical which was written for his distinguished avant-garde colleagues Mark Stockhausen, Jean-Pierre Drouet, Gaston Sylvesre, W. Coquiliat and others. The Maestro has conducted for performances at the Biennale of Dance in Val-De-Marne.

On June 11, at the Mandarin Oriental Ballroom, the contemporary dance company led by choreographer Michel Kelemenis will interpret his Trois Poemes inedits. The work brings together artists of different origins and techniques. Michel explains: "Trois Poemes is a fruit of exchanges between East and West, and people who straddle different cultures. Meaning is revealed by movement. The first two pieces – the first performed by Western dancers; the second by Orientals – play on the performers. Finally, each side learns about the other, and their coming together provides the material for the third poem."

On June 12 (Ortigas Center), June 13 (Cebu City Sports Club) and June 16 (F. Santiago Hall), the young Bombay-born French soprano Aude Wacziarg will render songs by Schubert, Obradors, Berlioz, Strauss, Russie, Grieg and Puccini. Talented pianist Florian Ballot, the accompanist, will also play Chopin’s Ballade No. 8.

Aude – who has given recitals in Paris, Toulouse, Geneva, Bologne, Florence, Verona and Monacco – studied at the Toulouse Conservatory, graduating with honors. Interestingly, she also trained for Broadway performances at the Bernstein School of Musical Theatre in Bologna, Italy. She will add to her program here a few Broadway songs.

On June 17, three local jazz ensembles – the Buhay Band, Happy People, Ding Basbas and the Upbeat Band – take centerstage at the Dusit Hotel. The mini-jazz festival, which will be sponsored by Jewelmer, will doubtless attract fans eager to hear jazz at its swinging best.

On June 9, La Ruche (The Beehive), a painting exhibition by Philippe Legautriere, will open under the auspices of the Alliance Francaise de Manille headed by Philippe Normand. Legautriere is one of the contemporary artists-in-residence of the atelier La Ruche which has served as the headquarters for several generations of famed French sculptors and painters.

On June 21, Fete de la Musique will bring to audiences at El Pueblo, Ortigas Center – the favorite hang-out of the young and party-loving people – the music of the best bands of different genres. Parties will go on simultaneously in El Pueblo’s hottest bars and cafés; accordingly, people will be encouraged to party-hop till the wee hours of the morning.

On June 19, the UP Dulaang Talyer will give its final performance of Nicholas Pichay’s play Bilog at the CCP Little Theater before it leaves for its engagement in Avignon, France. Bilog is "about the thing that terrorizes us most – love or the lack of it."

The eighth French Film Festival – opening night is June 5 at the Podium, and at the SM Megamall Preview Studio June 6-15 – will show 15 of the latest French films, thus providing a panorama of contemporary French cinematographic works.

For the opening night (invitational) on June 3 concert pianist Greg Zuñiega will be featured along with the dance duo Le Cabaret Kuya at the Mandarin Oriental ballroom.

Through French Spring in Manila, now on its fifth year, its organizers can truly claim to have created a cultural renaissance in the Philippines.